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Daily Business Report — Dec. 6, 2012

Sales of Small Businesses in County Riseto Highest November Level Since 2009

San Diego County recorded 89 sales of small and mid-sized businesses last month, showing the highest level of November activity since 2009, according to the BizBen Index, which tracks and reports sales volume in the state’s market for small business for sale transfers. The company also announced that 1,125 of the county’s small businesses have been sold so far in 2012, representing the best deal volume since 2009, when 1,291 transactions were completed during the first 11 months. “In addition to the improved San Diego County numbers, the statewide small business sales count was 1,022 last month, an increase of more than 7 percent over the 952 deals recorded throughout California during November of last year,” said Peter Siegel, founder and president of BizBen.com. The BizBen Index tally of county sales shows that the city of San Diego recorded 36 deals during the month. Among other active cities were San Marcos where seven businesses changed hands, and Oceanside with six transactions. Encinitas and Escondido each recorded four business sales.

Construction Begins on $10 MillionSports Complex at Army and Navy Academy

Duffield Sports Center rendering

Turner Construction Co. has begun building new athletic facilities at the Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad. Named the Duffield Sports Center, the $10 million complex will include an athletic facility building, press box, new bleachers, a new football field and a new baseball field with home and visitor dugouts. The two-story press box building, located at the 50-yard line of the new football field, will include public restrooms, concessions, executive suites, and boxes for press, home coaches and visitors. Concrete bleachers will be installed up to and surrounding the press box building. The two-story, 27,250 square foot athletic facility will house a gymnasium with seating for approximately 650, locker rooms for both home and guest teams, a dedicated wrestling room, a trainer’s room, a weight room with all new equipment, fan restrooms, administrative offices, and conference rooms. The center is named after Dave and Cheryl Duffield, who pledged the lead gift.

Labor Leader Lorena GonzalezTo Run for State Assembly Seat

Lorena Gonzalez

Lorena Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council and a Democrat, has announced plans to run for the 80th Assembly District seat once it is vacated by the incumbent, Assemblyman Ben Hueso. Hueso will be a candidate to replace state Sen. Juan Vargas in a special election. Vargas was elected to the House of Representatives to replace Bob Filner, the new mayor. “I’ve hammered out tough compromises between business and workers, between teachers and our school board and between developers and environmentalists by putting practicality ahead of ideology,” said Gonzalez in her announcement. “That approach worked in San Diego County and it will work in Sacramento. Extremism doesn’t work. Pragmatic problem-solving does.” The 80th Assembly District includes Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach and the San Diego neighborhoods of San Ysidro, City Heights, Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, Otay Mesa, Paradise Hills and other southern areas of the city.

San Diego in Top 15 Counties for Voter Turnout

Fewer California voters cast their ballots in last month’s election than did in 2008, though Latino voters in San Diego were at an all-time high. Low voter turnout in the June primaries foreshadowed the 11-point drop from the record-breaking numbers in 2008. As of Dec. 3, the California Secretary of State’s Office reported that San Diego was in the top 15 counties with the highest voter turnout with 77 percent. The highest voter turnout in the state was in Marin County with 87.4 percent of registered voters casting their ballots. Mendocino County had the lowest voter turnout with 37.3 percent. NBC San Diego reported that since February, 40,000 new Latino voters registered countywide, averaging about 5,000 new voters a month and setting a record for new Latino voters in San Diego County. (City News Service)

NASSCO Lays Keel for Second MLP Ship

NASSCO helda keel laying ceremony for the second Mobile Landing Platform ship at the company’s San Diego shipbuilding facility. Lyn Glenn, daughter of John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the earth, and Helen L. Toolan, wife of Lieutenant General John A. Toolan Jr., commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, were the honorees for the ceremony. Delivery of the second MLP ship is scheduled for first quarter 2014.This second ship will be named John Glenn.

The Daily Business Report is produced by SD METRO. Contact: Manny Cruz (619) 287-1865. manny@sandiegometro.com.

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We Want Your Opinions on San Diego’s Big Issues
In the coming months, Probosky Research (one of California’s leading opinion research firms) will continue its partnership with SD METRO to survey San Diego residents about topics of interest to our readers. We’d like to throw open the door for suggestions for topics. What do you want to know? What do you think you know, but aren’t sure? What are you certain you know, but want to prove it beyond doubt? Ideally, we’d like to see questions that have to do with public policy.
Some areas may include Mayor Filner’s first 100 days job performance, should the city be responsible for economic growth and the creation of new jobs, how important are infrastructure improvements to our daily lives (streets and bridges, etc.), how important is water independence, how satisfied are residents with public transit or how do city residents value Balboa Park and other open spaces? Do you believe the City Council should revive the Plaza de Panama plan for Balboa Park?
You can email Probolsky Research directly with your ideas: info@probolskyresearch.com